Bali family-friendly travel guide

About Bali

Bali, one of over 18,000 islands that make up Indonesia, is in Southeast Asia. It is also one of the most popular places for Australian families to travel to with children of all ages. Smiles are prevalent in this paradise, which is famous for its friendly people, colourful culture and beautiful beaches. It’s one of the friendliest destinations for families and there’s probably no easier place to have a relaxing holiday with young ones. The Balinese love kids and many hotels and resorts cater especially for children. There are free kids’ club activity programs, large family rooms with toys, discounted interconnecting rooms and free or discounted children’s meals. Babysitters are readily available and are excellent value, costing just a few dollars an hour.

West Coast of Bali

Seminyak

Vibe: The upper east side in tropical paradise.

Getting there: About 30 minutes from Denpasar if you catch a ride from the airport with the Bali airport taxi service.

Best things to do in Seminyak: Seminyak is home to some of Bali’s most extravagant family villas, and its beaches boast some of the best sunset views around. It’s also home to Bali’s famous ‘eat street’, where you can find some of their finest cuisine, and for the kids, stop in on the Totem Room Escape Challenge!

Legian

Vibe: Surf, shop and dine

Getting there: You can also get a taxi directly from the airport with Bali airport taxi service to Legian—it’ll take about 30 minutes, too.

Best things to do in Legian: Your kids will love the opportunity to visit Waterbom Bali, Indonesia’s best water park, which is full of giant, adrenaline-pumping waterslides! Legian is also home to the Rip Curl School of Surf, where you and your family can learn to make the most of Bali’s infamous surf beaches riding the waves.

East Coast of Bali

Nusa Dua

Vibe: Peaceful little Bali-Bubble

Getting there: Taxis are also available directly from Denpasar Airport to Nusa Dua

Best things to do in Nusa Dua: Nusa Dua is a world apart from the crazy cultural hub of the Kuta area. Instead, its attraction is based in its calm secluded beaches, beautiful beachside boardwalks, and classy villas. Nusa Dua is a beautiful place to relax, unwind and re-centre during your holiday. In good traffic, it’s still only about 30 minutes over to all the excitement of the south coast district, making it a great base for your stay.

Amlapura

Vibe: The traditional Bali of our collective imagination o

Getting there: Although it’s a little further out, Amlapura is actually quite well-connected to the rest of Bali due to its status as Bali’s major transport terminal, and will take you just over an hour by car or taxi from Denpasar.

Best things to do in Amlapura: Amlapura is a glimpse into the magical modern presence of Bali’s traditional heritage. Here beyond the reaches of busy tourist hubs, you’ll find some of Bali’s oldest traditional palaces or puri, and gain insight into how the local royals once lived. Not to worry, there’s something for the kids too, as you can also pop in on the well-hidden Bali Chocolate Factory, and taste the local hot chocolate and chocolate-covered goji berries!

Best time to go to Bali

With its warm, tropical climate, Bali can be enjoyed any time of year but the best time to hit the beaches is during the dry season. The rest of the year is more humid, with more overcast days and a higher chance of rainstorms. The daytime temperature averages between 27 to 32 degrees Celsius in the southern lowlands. However, Bali can often be around 75% humidity, so be prepared for that to feel much hotter!

Dry season

May to September. This is when Bali’s western side of the peninsula gets some of the world’s best waves.

Wet season

October to April. Although experiencing occasional downpours, this is Bali’s low season and it can be nice to beat the crowds – days are still fairly warm.

Passport and visa requirements

As Australians, we are lucky to be one of the countries with a visa exemption to travel to Bali, making us eligible for a free visa stamp for a 30-day tourism or social visit. You should ensure your passport will be valid for six months from the date you intend to return home.

Getting around

One of the greatest benefits of Bali’s relatively small size and low cost of transport is that you are afforded so much freedom in the development of your itinerary. You can pick a home base and make day trips out adventuring, or shake it up making your way around the coastline via car, bus or ojek (motorbike/scooter)—whichever appeals most to your sense of adventure!One of the greatest benefits of Bali’s relatively small size and low cost of transport is that you are afforded so much freedom in the development of your itinerary. You can pick a home base and make day trips out adventuring, or shake it up making your way around the coastline via car, bus or ojek (motorbike/scooter)—whichever appeals most to your sense of adventure!

Food and drinks that kids will love

A highlight of any holiday with kids in Bali is dining out. Whether you go for sumptuous 5-star restaurants or are drawn in by the sweet, smoky smells of spicy meats being barbecued at a street stall.

The typical food in hotels and resorts is Indonesian- and Chinese-style food, like the perennial favourites of satay chicken and nasi goreng (Indonesian-style fried rice).

You may have to inspect the menus of several restaurants before you find some genuine Balinese cuisine. National specialties include: Babi Guling – roast suckling pig and Bebek Betutu- duck smoked in an earthen oven and wrapped in banana leaves. Most meals are accompanied by a host of colourful tropical fruits like banana, mango, rambutan, lychee, mangosteen, jack fruit and durian – it’s a great way of introducing the kids to new food with all the colours.

If your kids aren’t the daring type and prefer to stick to the food they know, Bali is great as International cuisine is easily found, with an assortment of fast food outlets, takeaways and Western-style eateries available.

Shopping

Bali is a treasure trove of interesting souvenirs, beautiful gifts and terrific bargains. Open-air markets, open day and night, offer the best opportunities to shop for crafts and antiques, clothing and home wares at amazingly low prices.

Some of the biggest and best markets can be found in Denpasar and Sanur, but shops and stalls can be found all over the island, especially near the main tourist hangouts. Unique souvenirs include handcrafted items like woodcarvings, stone carvings and iron and bronze works and Indonesian batik. You can get great bargains on fabrics, furniture, clothing and jewellery. Supermarkets, speciality stores and shopping centres are usually open 7 days a week between 9am and 9pm, with shorter hours on Sundays.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Bali, though due to the low minimum Balinese wage, a small tip will go a long way.

What to wear

Bali is hot year-round with the average temperature being 32 degrees. Cotton fabrics. sandals/open-toed shoes, light loose clothing and as many swimmers you can fit will be your go-to attire for your trip. Months May-July are the best time to go and enter a summer paradise.

Courtesy

When visiting temples a sarong and sash that covers below the knee is required to be worn both men and women. If you don’t own a sarong or have not packed one, they can be hired locally or bought considerably cheap.

ATM

Easily found in most populated areas, and most accept Australian credit and ATM cards for cash withdrawals. Rates and transaction fees depend on your bank back home.

Typical costs

Beautiful, beachside accommodation for a family of four in Bali can be scored for around $200 a night in villas with free WiFi, luxurious pools and parking. A family of four could expect to spend about $30-$50AUD a day to have lunch and dinner in restaurants, and about $7 per person a day for local transport (local buses, taxis, etc.)

Money saving tips

Bargaining is a skill worth learning and practising if you plan to do any shopping in Bali, and kids can try their hand and it too. Friendly bargaining is expected at market stalls and makes the shopping experience fun for both the buyer and the seller. When you want to negotiate a price with a seller, have the absolute maximum you’re willing to pay in your mind then ask the seller what the lowest price he’s willing to offer is. Offer considerably less than this (between about two-thirds and half the price is OK!) then keep haggling until you reach a happy medium.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50 hertz. 2 round pin sockets and plugs.

Staying connected

If you are located in the southern part of the Island, for example in the capital of Denpasar, you are much more likely to find accessible internet connectivity than in central or northern Bali. These days, most hotels and many cafes in Bali offer free WiFi, with a typical connection speed of about 512kbps- 2mbps. Ngurah Rai airport also has free WiFi, which is surprisingly fast and available even outside of the terminal, making it a great option in case of emergency!

Health precautions

Although they’re adorable, it’s better to avoid contact with local animals such as dogs or monkeys, since rabies is a health risk in Bali. See your doctor at least six weeks before leaving to check which shots you should have.

Drinking

There have been reports of poisoning from alcoholic drinks in Bali, so if you plan on enjoying a casual drink or two, we recommend only drinking at reputable, licensed places during your stay—and to stick to bottled water.

Safety

Although there has been a high-alert in much of the media since 2002 when it comes to Bali, overall most visitors report feeling very safe here when compared with many other places in the world. Mostly, hawkers & touts have been widely regarded as the biggest annoyance in Bali, particularly in tourist areas such as Lombok and Depansar. In these areas, we recommend that you keep your valuables close, and don’t ask questions of hawkers unless you are interested in purchasing the product.

Basic phrases

The official language is Indonesian and is mainly spoken throughout the country. However, in large tourist areas English is spoken, though learning some of the basic of the Indonesian language is enjoyable to learn and the locals will be appreciated by the locals.

Pura Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah lot is a temple perched on top of a rock, surrounded by the crashing sea. Visit at low tide and you can walk over to experience its majesty in close quarters!

Ubud Monkey Forest

Just outside the centre of Ubud, the monkey forest promises plenty of cute, fluffy photo ops with its stunning population of grey long-tailed macaques—not to mention the hidden temples to be found buried deep inside its borders.

Gunung Kawi

At the bottom of a lush river valley running through the little town of Tampaksiring just northeast of Ubud, lies one of Bali’s largest ancient temple complexes, the Candi Gunung Kawi.

Bali accommodation

YHA Australia

YHA Australia

With over 70 family-friendly locations around Australia, you’ll always have somewhere to stay on your next family holiday.

Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory

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Xanadu Main Beach Resort

Xanadu Main Beach Resort

Nestled on the sandy shores of Main Beach, Gold Coast.

Queensland, Australia, Gold Coast

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Wilpena Pound Resort

Wilpena Pound Resort

A resort located in Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia

South Australia, Australia

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Whitsunday Holidays

Whitsunday Holidays

Self contained luxury apartments on Hamilton Island

Queensland, Australia

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Western KI Caravan Park & Wildlife Reserve

Western KI Caravan Park & Wildlife Reserve

Kangaroo Island Accommodation and Camping amongst the wildlife.

South Australia

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Warwick Le Lagon, Vanuatu

Warwick Le Lagon, Vanuatu

A resort near Port Villa offering a range of luxury rooms, villas and bungalows.